1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to new and approved solar heating systems and, particularly, to such a system which utilizes a novel collector matrix incorporating discarded beverage containers as a primary component thereby resulting in additional benefits in an ecological sense.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years energy has come to a very high priority in our society. Our fossil fuels are diminishing at a very rapid rate and the reserves of natural gas and coal and oil will be exhausted in the not too distant future unless alternative modes of energy are devised and put into use. Scientists, economists, and other private and governmental experts have expressed their concern at an ever increasing rate and are urging that we press forward with effective programs aimed at conserving our present resources and promoting new forms of energy.
One of the more promising forms of energy which is currently being considered is solar energy whereby mankind can tap for immediate use that seemingly inexhaustable source of our light and heat, the sun. The concept of tapping the sun's energy is an old one indeed, but the hardware for making this concept a reality has lagged far behind the dreams. The known systems have often been complex and expensive to place into operation, many times because they employed materials which are expensive or are not readily obtainable. In many instances, the systems which were devised were not readily adaptable to existing structures so that it was actually necessary to design a structure around the solar energy system. Solar heat collectors of the known variety were often glass faced pans or tubes which, by reason of the refractive index of glass, would tend to reflect much of the light away from the object to be heated. Other designs incorporated corrugated metal, copper tubes, and complex fittings in those instances where a series of substantially parallel tubular collectors were connected in series at their respective ends. On occasion these were known to be difficult to install and maintain, and as a result, often tended to dissuade potential users away from the solar heating concept.